LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Apparel (NYSE Amex: APP), the vertically integrated clothing manufacturer based in downtown Los Angeles, is announcing the launch of its brand of Made in the USA nail polish. The company, which is well-known for its garments' versatility and use of vibrant colors, felt that American Apparel Nail Lacquer was a natural extension of its current product offerings.

"We think this nail polish captures what American Apparel is all about -- a Made in the USA, high-quality product in a beautiful range of colors. It's a venture of families in manufacturing, from the factory in which the polish is made to the Nail Lacquer logo created by Dov's uncle, the noted graphic designer Israel Charney," said Marsha Brady, a creative director for American Apparel.

Each of the 18 colors in the primary offering evokes an important part of American Apparel. One is the color of raw cotton, while another -- a minty green color called Office -- was matched to the color of an accounting notepad found on the seventh floor of American Apparel's headquarters. Factory Grey is the actual shade used to paint all floors of the company's manufacturing operations, while Hassid - dark black - is a nod to American Apparel's Jewish roots. Even the collection's custom shade of red, "Downtown LA", took the area where the factory is located as its inspiration.

For the initial run of 60,000 bottles, which will be sold exclusively in American Apparel shops worldwide, the creative directors found a true family-operated nail polish manufacturer in New York City with whom they instantly connected. Together they worked to develop a beautiful high-quality polish using the techniques and secrets the family had been using since the early 1970s - symbolized best by the 91-year-old grandmother who still fills the bottles.

"It was important to us that we work with a domestic manufacturer who had a long history in the business. Like our clothing, the palette is intended for year-round use. It's a painterly range of colors designed for long-term appeal and creative interpretation. We put equal focus on making sure the polish and the colors were both durable and beautiful," Brady said.

American Apparel Nail Lacquer is priced at $6 per bottle and is available in a 3-pack for $15. It will be sold at American Apparel stores worldwide as well as online. The nail polish is DBP, toluene and formaldehyde-free. The full color palette, ingredients and photographs can be found in the American Apparel web store.

About American Apparel

American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel based in downtown Los Angeles, California. As of November 30, 2009, American Apparel employed over 9,800 people and operated 280 retail stores in 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Australia, Japan, South Korea and China. American Apparel also operates a leading wholesale business that supplies high quality T-shirts and other casual wear to distributors and screen printers. In addition to its retail stores and wholesale operations, American Apparel operates an online retail e-commerce website at http://www.americanapparel.com